title: Cognitive improvement during Tolcapone treatment in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Tolcapone, a reversible, selective inhibitor of catechol-O-methyltransferase, on the cognitive function of eight patients with advanced Parkinson's disease. They underwent neuropsychological and motor assessment at baseline and were re-evaluated after 6 months. During this period, they received Tolcapone three times daily, while the L-dopa dosage was progressively reduced. Significant improvements were observed in the attentional task, auditory verbal short-term memory, visuo-spatial recall, constructional praxia and motor symptoms. These data suggest that treatment with Tolcapone, in combination with L-dopa therapy, may determine a significant improvement in cognitive resources of patients with advanced Parkinson's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gasparini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fabrizio
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bonifati
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meco
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D001577:Benzophenones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D065098:Catechol O-Methyltransferase Inhibitors; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009596:Nitrophenols; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D000077867:Tolcapone
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D001577:Benzophenones; D065098:Catechol O-Methyltransferase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009596:Nitrophenols; D000077867:Tolcapone; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine